Stalk-cutter.



.|.'T."K|zEn. STLK GUTTER. (Appuwion mad my 2g, 1902.).

Patented Dec. 9, |902.

(Ilo Model.)

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ATTORNEY@ 1mi .Nonnxs arms co. wmaumo. wwwa-ran, 9.a

'To Mitcham it may concern.:

UNITI-3D STATES JOHN THOMAS KIZER, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

sENAToBIA, MISSISSIPPI.

STAI-'K -CUTT-ER.

SPECIFICATION forming-part of Letters Patent No. 715,586, dated December9, 1902.

Application tied May 2s, 1.902.

`Be it known that I, JOHN THOMAS KIZER, residing at Senatobia, in thecounty of Tate and State of Mississippi, have invented a new andImproved Stalk-Cutter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved means for cutting corn andcotton stalks, pea-vines, and sorghum, and any otherl grass or vines indrills; and it seeks to provide a cutting means for the purpose statedof a simple and economical construction, which can be easily manipulatedandadjusted for use and which will effectively serve for the intendedpurposes.

In its general nature my invention comprehends a novel construction ofrunner-frame and laterallyadjustable cutters especially adapted forcutting the stalks or vines planted in drills and to pile the cut orsevered portions into every other middle row or trench, and in its morecomplete make-upit embodies certain details of construction and peculiarcombination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described,and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective Viewof my invention. Fig.V 2 is a plan view thereof, one of the cuttersbeing shown to a spread or extended position in dotted lines. Fig. 3 isa crosssection taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detailcross-section-on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a diagram of a modiedconstruction, hereinafter explained.

In the practical construction my invention comprises a pair of runnersor slides l 1n of suitable length, preferablyfour feet longand made upof chilled-iron bars of suitable height and width. At the forward endthe runners 1 l incline upward at an angle of about ninety degrees andterminate in upwardlyprojecting extensions 1c 1, the front edges ofwhich are beveled, as at c c, for readily penetrating the vines Aorstalks or other objects to be cut and to freely pass by stumps or otherobstructions. The slides l 1L are separated a desired distance to suitthe rows or drills, preferably about seventeen inches, and they arerigidly held to their correlativo positions seria No. 108,657. or@moa-e1.)

by cross-braces 3 and 4, also formed of chilledmetal bars. v

The braces 3 4, as will be readily seen by reference to Fig. 2, havetheir ends projected beyond the sides of the members l la, the outeredges of which in practice are preferably beveled, as indicated at 4a inFig. 4, to freely pass over stumps, dac.' The front crossbar 3 has itsend projected beyond the members 1 1fL to provide for convenientlyattachingthe front end ofthe cutter-blade-carrying braces 7 8, presentlyagain referred to, and the cross-.brace 4 has its end extended beyondthe slides 1 1a to provide a suitable bearingsurface for the adjustablelink-bars 5 6, that connect the members 7 8 with the main frame.

The front end of each slide or runner l 1 has a clevis-casting ld 1d forconveniently attaching a draft-bail, as shown. the front cross-bar 3 hastwo apertures, the outer ones of which are provided to receive the bolts7a 8, that pivotally join the cuttercarrying members 7 8 with the mainframe, and the other openings are provided to receive the bolts lx, thatjoin'the bar 3 with the runners 1 1a.

The front transverse edges of the laterallyeXtended ends of thecross-bars 3 4 are beveled downwardly to assist in cutting and passingover -stumps and the like.. The crossbrace 4 is provided with a singlebolt-.aperture 4X at each end, which receives the bolts 4V, that pass upthrough the runners, through the brace 4, and through the slotted endsof the link-arms 5 6 and the foot portions s of the rear bracket S, thatsupports the seat 30,

Each end ofv the several parts being rigidly retained by i the lock andjam nuts 40 40, as shown. The

.seat 30 is also supported by a front bracket s', the .foot portions .ofwhich are rmly secured to the upperl edge of the slides 1 1a.

The adjusting members 5 6 are also formed of metal bars, and they havetheir outer ends connected by the screw bolts or rivets 5x 6X with therear ends of the cutter-bars or holders 8 7, respectively, and theirinner ends are adjustably held relatively to the main frame by the bolts4V, that pass through their elongated slots 5 6c, as before stated andas clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The cutter-blades 9 10 are each preferably IOO three inches Wide attheir front end and ve inches wide at their rear end, and the saidblades are of steel and of about the thickness of any ordinary saw.These blades are bolted on the members 7 8 in any approved manner, andthe front end of each cutter-blade is beveled inward at an obtuse angleto provide against presenting an abrupt edge against the objects to becut, and to facilitate the cutting action the inner edges of the frontends of the cutters begin fiush with the outer vertical surfaces of theslides or runners l lt.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is believed the manner in which my improvementoperates and its advantages will be readily understood. While themechanism described and shown is especially adapted for stalk or vinecutting, it can also be readily employed for severing hay and Windrowingthe same, and when so used a vertically-disposed guard or frame C isemployed, one for each cutter, which is mounted lengthwise of theblade-holding members or bars 7 8, as clearly shown in Fig. l, and thesaid frame C for lightness and economy in construction is preferablyformed of stout wire rods c5 c5, braced together and including footportions c6 c, whereby to detachably join the said frame C to themembers '7 8.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated diagrammatically a modified form ot' myinvention, in which but a single slide or runner l is used, to which thecross-braces 3 and 4 are centrally secu red, and to which braces thecutter bars or holders and the adjustable members 5 and 6 and the seatare secured in the same manner in which they are arranged in thepreferred construction shovvn in Figs. l and 2. To further facilitatethe operation of the machine, the front edges of the members 5 6 aretapered to a cutting edge, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with the runners 1 l, the front and rear cross-bars 3and 4, secured to the runners, and having their ends projected laterallytherefrom; of the cutterblades pivotally secured at their front end tothe projecting ends of the front cross-bar, the slotted link-arms 5 and6, pivotally joined at their outer ends with the cutter-blades, and

fastener means cooperating with the slotted ends of the arms 5 and 6 foradjustably connecting said arms to the ends of the rear bracebar 4,substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

2. In a stalk-cutter, the combination of a pair of parallel runners,whose front ends are beveled and extend upwardly, a front crossbar 3,and a rear cross-bar 4, mounted upon the said runners, and with theirends projected laterally thereof, a horizontally-dis` posed cutter-bladein each runner pivotally joined at the front end to the lateralextensions of the front cross-bar, a slotted link-arm for the rear endof each cutter-blade, pivotally secured to the cutter-blade andadjustably connected with the rear cross-bar 4, alongitudinally-disposed vertical guard member for each runner, saidguard members including apertured foot portion c, and a single fasteningmeans for each end of the guard for securing the apertures c( and thecoincident ends of the horizontal cutting-blades to the projecting endsof the bars 3 and 4, all being arranged substantially as shown anddescribed.

JOI-IN THOMAS KIZER.

Witnesses:

R. O. SMITH, A. A. ROYALL.

